Do Good
by KatrinaLeigh
Summary: This is my first fanfiction. Kevin's POV on his motto in life and how it has changed him.


Sometimes I stop and think about how ironic life can be. Even the smallest event can change ones life forever. Think about it. We go throughout our days monotonously without thinking how even just one of our decisions can change our destinies forever. I can think of numerous instances in my life where my snap second decision led me to a place that I would never have imagined. We all choose our own path, and what we experience in life depends on us and our choices.

Now, I'm not saying that I don't have faith in the Lord, because I do. I'm married to a minister, so believe me, I know what a huge part faith and trust in the Creator plays in my life. But I do believe that the Lord lets us find our own path, a path we are destined for. We choose what we want in life, and the journey begins. In fact, I can pinpoint numerous times in my life when I made a choice that would effect my life forever. So listen carefully. And if you fall asleep while listening, that's fine too. In fact, Mommy and I would appreciate it.

The first one I really remember wasn't necessarily a choice, but a promise. I remember that fall day vividly when my dad dropped me and my brother Ben off at school. I was in eight grade; Ben was in sixth. I was at that stage in my life where my dad was my absolute hero ( and if I'm being honest with myself, he still is.) But I remember him dropping us off on his way to the station for work that morning. I asked him why he couldn't choose a job that was safer, one that didn't leave my mom up worrying so late at night. He said that as a member of God's family, we all had a duty to serve others. We couldn't just live our lives without taking risks that sometimes taking those risks meant putting our own lives in danger in order to protect others. And he hoped that if he ever was unable to protect his family, that someone would come along and do his job for him. As he pulled the car into a parking space in front of the middle school, he looked me in the eyes and said, "I want you boys to both promise me something. Promise me when you get older, you will do good in this life." Ben being the annoying little boy-a stage he has never grown out of-said "Don't you mean do well, Dad?" Dad sternly said, "No, son, I mean do good in this world. Don't let your lives waste. Promise me that right now." We both promised but pushed the promise to the back of our minds. It wasn't until Dad's funeral two years later that the promise came back to haunt both me and my brother. The desire to do good still lingers in my head. It's why I went into public service as a police officer. It's why I risk my life for people I don't know every single day. I want to do good. And I hope, like my Dad once hoped, that if I'm ever unable, that someone will come along and protect my family too. You would like my dad. I am sorry he will never get to meet you. Although, I like to think that he is watching down on us now.

Now that kind of choice was an obvious one. But I know and believe that sometimes God leads us to make choices in life that will lead us to something wonderful without us even realizing what is happening. I remember about three years ago when September 11th occurred. I remember the anger that filled my heart as someone attacked my beloved country and her people, one that my Dad, my brother, and I were so determined to protect. I was willing to do just about any duty the Buffalo police force asked me to do. I went to New York City and worked day and night doing anything I could to assist those in need, just trying to "do good" as my dad had once told me. Days off hardly even came, and I was exhausted from overworking myself. After seven months of working myself to death, I had finally decided to take a week off to get out of New York and ease my mind a bit after seeing all of the terrible things I had witnessed. I was so excited about my trip to Colorado, to smell the mountain air and hike in God's beautiful masterpiece.

I recall my disappointment that morning in April when the chief called me at my small one bedroom apartment to tell me that he needed me to work the next week, that one of the older officers' mother had passed away out West and he couldn't have us both gone. He added to my displeasure when he told me that I would be working airport security, my least favorite assignment off all. Now, I lived by my father's motto of "do good," but it is hard to follow when whiny travelers complained incessantly about the changes that had been implemented to the airports since 9/11. And all I did all day was collect luggage that looked suspicious and throw it into the pit where all the other suspicious luggage went. And then almost as I would throw it into the furnace, in an ironic twist of fate, the owner of the lost luggage would come to gather their things. I was performing my sweep of the day when I found a little black tote bag laying by the conveyor belt. Thinking there might finally be a bit of excitement at the airport, I carefully picked the bag up, preparing myself for the worst. I called for reinforcements, then I cautiously opened the bag. Instead of some deadly bomb, I found an entire tote bag of make-up and toiletries. The smell of vanilla bath lotion that had spilled in the bag was extremely potent, and I was drawn to the girl that would wear such a fragrance. And inside the front pocket of the bag was a worn Bible. I picked the Bible up out of the bag and read the name Lucy Camden on the front. I opened it up to find that most of the pages were filled with marks and highlights of favorite passages and slips of paper filled with notes from old sermons fell out of the books as I flipped through it. A journal was lying underneath it, and while I didn't dare go through her journal, I saw that it had a verse on the front cover. Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you, saith the Lord."

I knew that I couldn't throw this girls' bag away, even if it was procedure. So I canceled the call for reinforcements and took the bag with me back to the office. I knew the girl would soon be coming into get her bag, and I was excited that while my vacation might have been ruined, I may have helped someone make theirs a little bit better. I was intrigued to meet this girl that packed such a bag that would impress me so. When the two girls came in the office around noon, I knew which girl she was. I knew from the fiery look in her eyes that she was the one I was looking for. They say that love at first sight is impossible, and it is especially unusual to hear a guy say something like that. But from first glance, I knew that she was someone I could spend the rest of my life with. I made her wait a bit before I brought her bag to her, and I overheard her call me stupid for taking her bag, but her spirit and feistiness was a quality that I immediately loved in Lucy Camden. And after we went on our first date that night in Buffalo, I realized that she too shared my motto of "do good." As the daughter of a minister, she was raised to do good for others all her life, and in the past three years that I have shared with Lucy, together we have tried to spread our motto to those around us.

You now see why I believe that just one choice or decision in life can change our path forever. Had I not asked my father about his line of work that day when I was young, I might have never become a police officer. Had I not become a police officer, I might have never been at work that day. And had I not been at work that day, I would have never met your mother. I know you were expecting her to come and get you out of your bed, as she has been your constant companion since your arrival six weeks ago, but as I got up out of bed to come into your room, I realize how fortunate I am that my life has gone down the path that it has. Life has its way of getting us to where we need to be, and my path has led me to right here, in this nursery, in this rocking chair, holding you, my sweet Jenny. You are my sweet daughter, who was made with a piece of me and a piece of your wonderful mother not so many months ago. You are my responsibility. I only hope that as you grow older, I can teach you to do good, as my father once told me. If I can do that, then I will feel confident in all the decisions I have made in my life. So sleep well, my little princess, and do good.


End file.
